Liquor permit approvals rise sharply despite permit fee hike in Gujarat

Liquor seems to have many takers in dry Gujarat and the state government is making a killing through permit shops. With demand rising and December 31 knocking at our door, liquor prices and liquor permit have seen a sharp hike, along with a noticeable rise in the number of permits approved. 

In Ahmedabad, the fee for a new permit has been raised from ₹5,000 to ₹25,000, and the renewal fee has from ₹6,000 to ₹20,000. Earlier, the rate for a new permit stood at ₹20,000 and the renewal fee was ₹14,000.

District-wise liquor permit holders

Ahmedabad leads the state with 16,485 liquor permit holders, Surat follows with 8,971 permits, while Rajkot has 5,403 permit holders. Vadodara accounts for 4,180 permits, and Kutch has 2,932 permit holders. Jamnagar has issued 2,547 permits, Anand has 2,211, Gandhinagar 1,960, and Bharuch reports 1,283 liquor permit holders.

85% permits issued on health grounds

More than 52,000 people across Gujarat currently hold liquor permits. Of these, nearly 85% have obtained permits citing health-related reasons, taking the figure to around 45,000.

In addition, the state has issued 551 temporary permits, 3,530 visitor permits, and 1,743 tourist permits. With permit charges now increased, revenue from this segment is expected to rise further.

Liquor permit revenue crosses ₹11.65 cr

Government data shows that ₹5.69 crore was collected from liquor permits in 2024, while ₹5.96 crore was earned in 2025. The total revenue from liquor permits over the two years stands at ₹11.65 crore.

What is the permit process?

According to the Civil Hospital Superintendent, the fee for a new permit is now ₹25,000. Health permits are considered in cases such as stressful lifestyles, hypertension, insomnia and similar medical conditions.

Before approval, authorities verify whether the applicant genuinely requires a health permit by examining factors like age, income proof and medical necessity.

Applications cleared at the Civil Hospital are forwarded to the Prohibition Office.

Sharp rise in new permits at Civil Hospital

The permit application process has generated more than ₹11.65 crore for the Rogi Kalyan Samiti at Civil Hospital over the last two years. This year alone, 897 new permits have been approved at Civil Hospital. Compared to 2024, the number of new permits approved in 2025 has increased nearly threefold.

20 hotels in Ahmedabad have liquor permits

Although Gujarat follows prohibition, liquor permits are issued to select hotels to facilitate tourists from other states and abroad. The government informed the Assembly that currently 20 hotels in Ahmedabad and four hotels in the capital Gandhinagar have been granted liquor permits.